Switch for electric signs.



J. E. LONG.

SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC SIGNS.

APPLICATiON FILED AUG. I8, 1916.

Patented July 3, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

J. E. LONG.

SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC SIGNS. APPLICATION FILED AUGJB, 1 91s.

Patentd July 3, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

III I l I I Ill l I l I l l I I.

gnvcwfoz JOHN E. LONG, Q1 HOT SPRINGS, MONTANA.

SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC SIGNS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3, 1917.

Application filed August 18, 1916. Serial N 0. 115,672.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN E. LONG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hot Springs, in the county of Sanders and State of Montana, hav invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switches for Electric Signs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in switches for electric signs and the principal object of the invention is to provide pneumatically controlled switches which will enable .the user to operate the sign without requiring an attendant to insure the smooth running of the apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sign operating mechanism in which it is possible to change the signs in order to use a dark background with an illuminated letter or an illuminated background with a dark letter.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a sign in which the illuminating of the various'light's is controlled through the medium of a perforated strip of paper which admits air to ports which in turn control the individual switches for the lights.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts which will be fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a face view of the sign keyboard showing the strip of paper in place.

Fig. 2 is a s1de view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the structur illustrated in Fig. 2 taken on line 3-3 thereof.

- Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail sectional view of the controlling switches by means of which the lights are shifted, and

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the switch members.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 1 designates the body of the device provided with a plurality of passages 2. These passages terminate at their extreme inner ends in the right angularly extending passages 3 which are preferably disposed in a vertical plane and a housing 4 surrounds the open ends of the passages 3 to form an air chamber having leading therefrom a pipe 5 which leads to a suitable exhaust fan or pump so that the pressure within the chamber 4 is less than atmospheric pressure. The forward face of the body 1 is curved as at 6 to form a tracker bar over which the perforated strip of paper 7 runs. This strip is preferably rolled as illustrated in Fig. 2 but it is to be understood that the same may be handled in any other suitable manner. It will thus be seen that as the perforations 7 formed in the paper 6 pass over the mouths of the openings 2 air will be admitted through the passages 2 and 3 into the chamber 4 and in passing from the open ends of the passage 3 it will be seen that they will operate the switches which will be more fully hereinafter described.

' Supported on suitable spacing blocks 8 in spaced'relation to the upper surface of the body 1 within the chamber 4. is a suitable plate 9 having formed therein a plurality of perforations 10 in which the switch element to be more fully hereinafter described is slidably mounted. Secured to the upper side of the body 1 within the chamber 4 is a suitable perforated plate of copper designated by the numeral 11 which is provided with the perforations 12 which register with the mouths of the passages 3. A similar plate of copper 13 is secured to the under side of the plate 9 which is formed of a nonconductive material and the plate 13 is formed with the openings 14 which aline with the openings 10 but are of slightly greater diameter than said openings so as to prevent contact of the stems of the switch elements with the plate.

The switch elements above referred to are best illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 and each comprises a disk 15 having formed integral therewith a stem 16 which disk and stem are both formed of copper or a similar conductive metal so that when they contact with their various plates an electrical connection will be made. As shown in Fig. 3 each of the switch elements has leading therefrom a wire 17 which passes out through an opening 18 formed in the chamber 4 to its various lights and it will be understood that at the point where the wires pass through the opening 18 a suitable airtight connection is made so as to prevent the inlet of air to the chamber except through the passages 2 and 3.

In order that the background may be controlled so that the lights may be exhibited against a dark background or the letters may be. left dark and the background light a suitable master switch designated by the numeral 15 is provided which is controlled by the passage of air through the passage 3*. As shown in Fig. 4 the switch 15 when on the. plate designated by the numeral 17 which is electrically connected to the power source. It will thus be seen that when air is admitted through the passage 3 the switch 15 will be lifted off of the plate 17 thereby discontinuing the flow of current through the whole device. In order that the background may be changed the switch 15 is provided which seats over the passage 3 and in the position shown in Fig. 4 engages the plate 11 so that when the switches seat on said plate their various lamps will be lighted. If it is desired to reverse the result, however, air is admitted through-the passage 3 and it will be seen that the switch 15 will be moved upwardly into contact with the plate 13 thereby charging the plate 13 and thus when the remaining switches are down their various lights will be out and when raised their lamps will be lighted. In this way it will be seen that the lights can be arranged so that the letters will be formed against a light or dark background at the desire of the user.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that such changes may be made in the combination and arrangement of parts as will fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. 7

What is claimed is 1. In a switch for electric signs, a block having a plurality of air passages therein, switch members closing the ends of the air passages, a perforated plate attached to the block, the perforations of said plate alining with the air passages in the end of the block, a plate of insulating material secured to the block and spaced from the end thereof for a short distance, said insulating plate being provided with a plurality of guide openings arranged in alinement with the air passages, a conductive plate on the inner face of the insulating plate and provided with a pinrality of openings of greater diameter than the openings in the insulating plate and alining with the last mentioned openings and switch members slidable in the insulating plate adapted to rest on the first mentioned conductive plate and over the air passages and a housing over the open ends of the air passages and the switch members, an exhaust pipe leading from the housing to keep the pressure therein below normal and means controlling the flow of air through the passages and into the housing and therebycontrolling the opening and closing of the switches.

2. In a device of the class described, a block having a plurality of horizontal passages extending thereinto and being provided with a plurality oi vertical passages at the extreme rear ends of the horizontal passages, a housing over the upper ends of the vertical passages, means to exhaust the air from the housing to keep the pressure therein below atmospheric pressure, a conductive plate attached to the outlet end of the lock and being provided with a plurality of openings alining with the vertical pas-- sages in the block, an insulating plate supported above the last mentioned plate, a conductive plate supported on the underside of the insulating plate and being provided with openings alining with the passages, the insulating plate being provided with openings of less diameter than the openings in the conductive plates thereon, the last mentioned openings being in axial alinement with the passages, a plurality of stems slidable in the openings in the insulating late, heads on the stems adapted to contact with the conductive plates, means to control. the charging of either of said conductive plates, and means passing over the open ends of the horizontal passages to control the admission of air thereto andvthereby electrically control the operating of the switches.

In testimony-whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN E. LONG. Witnesses:

WALTER T. GUTz, J. G. NICHOLSON. 

